In the world of Tendai monasteries high on Mount Hiei, meditation isn’t a one-size-fits-all affair but a rich tapestry woven from Chinese Tiantai roots, esoteric rituals, and home-grown Japanese innovations. A handful of techniques stand out:

1. Fourfold Samādhi
   • Pure Sitting (kanzen-sanmai): Settling into the classic zafu cushion posture, breath becomes anchor and sky at once—wakeful tranquility meets clear insight.
   • Constantly Walking (gyō-sanmai): Slow, deliberate steps mirror the rhythm of the universe. Think modern-day mindful strolling, only ancient and majestic.
   • Half Sitting, Half Walking (hangyō-sanmai): Like a Zen archer steadying between bow-draw and release, the mind learns to stabilize in motion and in stillness.
   • Neither Sitting nor Walking (fugyō-sanmai): Turning everyday chores—tea serving, incense tending—into seamless meditation, as if every step were a mantra.

2. Shikan (“Just Sitting”)
   Borrowed from the silent-illumination schools, practitioners let thought drift by without chasing or clinging. In 2025, some temples stream guided Shikan sits online, bridging medieval halls with today’s digital hankerings for calm.

3. Esoteric Mantra and Mandala Work
   Drawing from Vajrayāna, Tendai monks may recite the Mahāvairocana and Kongōkai dhāraṇīs while visualizing the Diamond and Womb Mandalas. It’s like tuning into cosmic frequencies—modern neuroscience calls these practices “multisensory meditation.”

4. Lotus Sutra Chanting
   Repeating “Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō” is both devotion and concentration training. In a world still buzzing about eco-anxiety, this mantra keeps voices unified around interdependence—an ancient soundscape resonating with today’s sustainability movements.

5. Kaihōgyō (Circling the Mountain)
   Legendary in its intensity, walking up to a hundred miles a day over decades, this practice blends endurance sport with deep insight. It’s inspiring even on social media challenges, reminding everyone that mind-body feats link back to those Hiei trails.

Far from dusty tradition, these methods ebb and flow with modern life—online retreats, smartphone-timed sits and even pop-up meditative art installations in Tokyo galleries. Tendai’s secret sauce? An all-embracing spirit that keeps old wisdom fresh, proving that the human mind is an ever-turning mandala of discovery.